HDD Repartition & Format from WinXP...
- Thread starter Marzeth
- Start date
That is as easy at it comes with the XP installer. You simply choose to delete the current partitions on the drive. Make sure you backup anything you want off of it first however. The next step is to allow the installer to create and format a new primary for the drive. You simply follow the onscreen instructions for this.
If you were wanting to create two partitions instead of deleting a pair you would manually enter an amount of drive space when the installer displays the amount it detects on the drive or drives installed on the system.
If you were wanting to create two partitions instead of deleting a pair you would manually enter an amount of drive space when the installer displays the amount it detects on the drive or drives installed on the system.
Either way will work easy enough. If you are planning to install XP onto the new partition you would simply go through with the installation from there. You can also delete the two, create the new one and then cancel the installation out after. You wouldn't use the Disk Management for installation only creation and formatting it for storage.
You should find it easy enough with the Disk Management to delete those two and create the single storage partition. Here I simply wiped a 250gb drive and created a 135gb for storage. The remaining space with probably see a Linux distro go on when the distro is chosen.
Once you are in the Disk Management section look at the right for the bottom two rectangular windows there. Disk #0 will be the host drive you have Windows running on. The second one Disk #1 is what you are after. You simply right click on that and note the "new partition" option at the top of the menu there. Once the new one is created you repeat that to have it formatted at that time. You are then ready to store files on it.
Since your cd or dvd drive has been the D drive you will notice the drive letter has probably changed to E. At this time you will want to change the second drive's drive letter designation. To have the cd or dvd drive set back to D you would then change the second hard drive's letter from D to another like E or F if you have more then one optical drive installed. The instructions for this can be seen at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307844/
Once you are in the Disk Management section look at the right for the bottom two rectangular windows there. Disk #0 will be the host drive you have Windows running on. The second one Disk #1 is what you are after. You simply right click on that and note the "new partition" option at the top of the menu there. Once the new one is created you repeat that to have it formatted at that time. You are then ready to store files on it.
Since your cd or dvd drive has been the D drive you will notice the drive letter has probably changed to E. At this time you will want to change the second drive's drive letter designation. To have the cd or dvd drive set back to D you would then change the second hard drive's letter from D to another like E or F if you have more then one optical drive installed. The instructions for this can be seen at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307844/
as far as i understand u want to merge partitions
and after format it,don't ?
well, i'd recommend u to use partitioning software.
good luck
and after format it,don't ?
well, i'd recommend u to use partitioning software.
good luck
There are a few others like Partition Magic available. Those are especially helpful with older versions of Windows mainly at this time 9X-ME, NT, and 2000. For the faster and easier method rather then buying 3rd party software XP has the Disk Management feature included for deletion of the two current partitions then creating and formatting the new one for storage.
The 3rd party softwares are a plus when going to create custom sized partitions when more then one single is planned. With those you can often adjust the size to some degree depending on program.
The 3rd party softwares are a plus when going to create custom sized partitions when more then one single is planned. With those you can often adjust the size to some degree depending on program.
Partition magic is unreasonably expensive(round of 70$).
whereas Disk Director, which has more features(like recovery expert including) cost just 40-45$.
As for Win Xp system tools : of caurse u can use their backup or disk manager programs, but to me they are quite unreliable.
One will save the money , but for me it's more important my data to be safe.
how about u?
whereas Disk Director, which has more features(like recovery expert including) cost just 40-45$.
As for Win Xp system tools : of caurse u can use their backup or disk manager programs, but to me they are quite unreliable.
One will save the money , but for me it's more important my data to be safe.
how about u?
computerhakk
VIP Member
Go and get this partitioner. GParted Live Disc. Free.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
Just mount it onto a CD or Floppy. It runs within itself from startup like a Windows Disc. GUI support so easy to navigate and make/resize/delete existing partitions.
Have used this tool in the past and is very effective. It runs on Linux's Gnome. Can format into pc or linux compatability.
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
Just mount it onto a CD or Floppy. It runs within itself from startup like a Windows Disc. GUI support so easy to navigate and make/resize/delete existing partitions.
Have used this tool in the past and is very effective. It runs on Linux's Gnome. Can format into pc or linux compatability.
Thanks for the link! I lost that along with a ton of other Linux files when the now storage and most likely Linux drive was unreadable when the old board quit. I've never bothered spending $60-70 on softwares except the $100 for Roxio that was needed for burning Linux iso images.
The uodated version of fdisk can also create custom sized partitions. You then use Disk Management to convert them to NTFS from Fat32. That not only fits well on a floppy you have plenty room left after.
The uodated version of fdisk can also create custom sized partitions. You then use Disk Management to convert them to NTFS from Fat32. That not only fits well on a floppy you have plenty room left after.